Nobby

In a key New Zealand defamation case (Lange v Atkinson [2000] 3 NZLR 385), Lange sued political scientist Joe Atkinson for representing him in the magazine North & South as a lazy prime minister. In a 1998 judgment, and on appeal in 2000, the courts affirmed a new qualified privilege for the media to discuss politicians when expressing the criticisms as the “honest opinion” of the author.

It is therefore my opinion that Bill Carrig, and others honestly believe what was written in Bill’s letter. It therefore falls into qualified privilege. It also stands to reason that the Waiheke media should climb out from behind the fear of legal retribution and say it as you believe is true. Nobilangelo is a duly elected community board member and as such is open to grater scrutiny than Mr Joe Public.

Defaming Politicians

While the rest of  Waiheke’s media is wimping out it has been left to Waiheke Radio and Chris Walker to ask the tough questions. On the 7th of March 2009 Chris interviewed the infamous Nobelangelo Ceramalus.

Chris Walker interview with Nobelangelo Ceramalus

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Opinionated Islanders Alan Knight and Mark James

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Chris Walker interview with Denise Roche

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This appeared in my inbox, (thnx Jax) 

25 February 2009

Dear Nobilangelo,

Normally, I neither have the time or the inclination to write an open letter, but I feel compelled to in this instance.

Finding someone who voted for you at the 2007 elections is like trying to get someone to admit they voted for MMP!

Well, I’ll will put my hand up and say I did vote for you. (I can hear the roar of laughter at my momentary act of stupidity from my friends, most of whom are fellow commuters. To them I say, “Live by the sword then die by the sword.”)   

I have however come to realise, this single tick, in my moment of madness, is the most regretted decision, in my entire voting life. Owning up, however, to giving you my tick, gives me the right to tell you what a complete fool you a making of yourself, the Community Board and, by association, the rest of the residents on our beautiful island. You have turned us into a joke – back to the days when we were known as “Cadbury Island” and not as we should be, the “Jewel in the Gulf”.

Let’s recap why I voted for you – you promised good sound governance. Isn’t that what you told me on the ferry? I seem to recall ‘team player’ being mentioned as well. Not some hair brained idea of secession from Auckland City. Did you tell me before I voted for you that you had a personal hidden agenda towards the Auckland City Council? Why didn’t you? Would this have altered my decision? You bet, along with, I suspect, the other 1096 voters – assuming you voted for yourself.

Who knows what the ultimate cost of this will be – estimates range from as low as $100,000 to as high as over $500,000 to a full community vote of over $1million. Now go and mathematically calculate this on a per household basis. In anybody’s language it is not going to be a cost effective exercise in today’s economic climate.

Putting aside for one moment your personal agenda towards Auckland City, let’s think about some of the commercial facts and future media headlines.

“Tourism Auckland withdraws funding from Waiheke”

“Island seniors may possibly lose Super Gold Card travel privileges if Waiheke goes with Thames Coromandel/ Waikato Regional Council”

“Health services review their involvement in Waiheke”’

“Landfill to be established on Waiheke as too costly to transport to the Waikato” 

“Thames-Coromandel Council declines sponsorship of headland-Sculpture on the Gulf”

My message is simple, if you have not already gathered. Stop this lunacy especially in these tough and challenging economic times – or haven’t you noticed?

An overwhelming majority in our community do not want secession from Auckland City – and you know what, you are going to be shown we don’t.

Yours faithfully,

 Bill Carrig

 Authorised and paid for by Bill Carrig, Te Whare Wiremu, 21 Coromandel Road, Sandy Bay, Waiheke Island

If the relationship between Waiheke and the Auckland City Council had been a marriage I am sure it would have ended up in the divorce courts long ago. We have constantly had our purses raided, told what we want and dutifully ignored. With Matiatia development, wharf taxes and wheelie bins as recent examples one can’t help think that Nobby just might be right!